I'll return to feature a portion of the 2021 Notable Trade Books for Young People by NCSS list that's geared to older readers. Soon, I promise. If you haven't a clue what I'm referring to, check out an earlier post that launched this series, HERE.
Before that next summary-and-link post happens, I'm plowing through the stacks of titles from those lists that came through on my library hold list. There are few things in life that i enjoy ore than discovering well-curated lists of recommended books, finding among those titles many favorites, but also finding new-to-me titles!
With Spring sprouting on our calendars and outdoors, these three recent picture books snagged my attention for this post. All three are on the NOTABLE TRADE BOOK list from NCSS.Charlesbridge, 2020 |
By the count of ten, readers have witnessed the necessary steps to achieve that success, to grow a community, provide fresh local nutrition, and to create a hub of urban life. Back matter informs us that the author's little 10X10 plot in Minnesota was the inspiration, but the lessons can apply anywhere. Two other short passages explore the necessity of bees, and ways to attract bees into urban gardens.
Paula Wiseman Books, S&S BYR, 2020 |
Katherine Tegen Books, 2020 |
The last of these nonfiction features is THE SECRET GARDEN of GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER, written by Gene Barretta and illustrated by Frank Morrison. In this case, the intense, lush illustrations contrast with the lively simplicity of the first title and the bouncing comical energy of the second. Here, from front to back cover and through every page turn, the illustrations enfold readers, wrap us in the sounds and scents and secrets of a hidden green space. The focus remains fixed on an individual who is called to discover nature's secrets as surely as he was called to the heart nurture and learn from his verdant hidden spaces.
I’ve read a dozen or more books about Carver, but this lush and enlightening approach makes it the most appealing and kid-friendly of all. The post Civil War era, the limitations on a black child, and the familiar drive of any child to pursue beloved interests will win the hearts of kids while the illustrations invite their eyes to linger and explore every page.
No matter how many Carver titles you’ve read before, read this one.
No matter how many Carver titles you’ve read before, read this one.
These three nonfiction picture books will certainly entertain, inform, and intrigue you. My guess is that they will also get your green thumbs itching to start growing things, even if that is simply a seed in a cup on your kitchen counter. It's the first day of spring- have at it!
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